Moving On
by Gigglepud
Summary: A HijiChizu oneshot set after Hekketsuroku, in which Chizuru and Hijikata visit a certain grave memorial. Memories and nostalgia mixed with bittersweetness, Chizuru helps Hijikata move on from the end of the Boshin War.


**Moving On** [G]  
Battleships Round 3  
Pairing: Hijikata/Chizuru

**Prompt:** Must start with a specific first paragraph.  
Criteria: Use "When Love Falls" and a MakoHaru doujin picture as inspiration. Written in 2nd person, present tense.

* * *

The breeze is light and sunlight filters gently through the canopy. Trees on either side entice you to walk up the large stone steps, and you do. There is no turning back, and you understand that there are no second chances in life, so you take the first step knowing that you will be freed from your chains this very day.

There is hesitation in your steps as you reach the top, but you know you've come too far to stop. With an uncertain glance to the man next to you, you start forward towards the large memorial stone positioned at the side of the isolated path.

"…Hijikata-san…" You say quietly as you reach your destination.

The gravestone before you is a black hole of melancholy, pulling you slowly into the depths of disheartening depression, and the banner that droops from the flagpole next to the stone only aggravates the desolation. The tattered war banner is half burnt and suppressed in bullet holes, but even so, the white symbol of sincerity is still ever visible in its red background.

Yet now, the red only helps to remind you of the blood that had splattered across the battlefield of the Boshin war. The crimson blood that had almost caused Hijikata to lose control of himself.

"Hijikata-san," You decide it's time to try again, after such a long pause.

For a moment, you think he hasn't heard you. That's only reasonable; considering the way he stares emptily at the name engraved before him.

"Hijikata Toshizo, 1835 to 1869…" his voice is but a small murmur and you notice a sudden urge to sit beside him. You don't miss the tremble in his voice as he cries, "Then what about those that actually died?! For all anyone else is concerned, they're just another one of the many soldiers who died in the Aizu war, just another nameless soldier's corpse pushed aside so the still living could continue to kill! Not acknowledged… Not remembered "His voice softens as he continues, "But yet, I, who survived, am the only one who has a memorial engraved with my name. What the hell?!"

This is another side you've never seen. The Hijikata who had first pointed a sword at you the night you met him would have been one who unwaveringly pushed the dead aside without a care, but with the war lost and over, you realise the emotions that Hijikata had locked away as the Demon Vice Commander are slowly coming back.

You scour your brain for something to say, "I'm sure that as long as we remember, they'll be able to rest in peace. As long as we don't forget everything they've done for us."

"Chizuru… was I … right? To push the Shinsengumi so far…? For the sake of the Shinsengumi, I lost everyone!" His ever-determined eyes are wavering, and it's obvious he's starting to doubt.

"You became a true warrior, Hijikata-san. The Shinsengumi wasn't in vain, Hijikata," you reply weakly. "If it weren't for you, the Shinsengumi would have already collapsed. And if it weren't for the Shinsengumi, I wouldn't have been able to meet you, in fact, I'd be dead! After all, the Shinsengumi saved my life, remember?"

You're desperate to say something; to say anything. "It wasn't your fault, Hijikata-san, you tried your best to raise the Shinsengumi, and you did so well! Even now, the Shinsengumi banner flies." You indicate to the flag with one hand, and at just that moment the breeze strengthens to lift the banner.

For a minute, the two of you stay silent as you watch the dancing banner. Then, you reach out to wrap your arm around Hijikata. You don't know what you were expecting, but it definitely wasn't for him to edge closer to you and return the hug. But as he does so, a sudden urge to cry dawns on you.

"Do you believe in spirits, Hijikata-san?" You ask quietly, to break the silence.

"Idiot," he replies with a half-laugh, "You're going to say that this wind is the spirit of one of the Shinsengumi members? Don't say that, I'd rather think they're resting in peace than stuck in Japan and watching us suffer."

He's probably right. So you don't interrupt as he continues, "You know, Chizuru, you're right. The dead's dead, no matter what we do and how much we cry. It was a stupid idea to come here in the first place, I was wrong to suggest that. They died for our happiness; they died so we could survive, so why are we still stupidly living in the past?"

You can only nod, because you know you'll only ramble if you speak now. But he wasn't wrong to suggest this. Coming here, and seeing his own grave; it was definitely necessary for him to finally get over this world, and the lost war. To be freed from his chains of loneliness and regret.

"Chizuru, I'm sorry for asking so much, but let's just go back now," and with that, he starts to walk away. You smile and wipe the tears that had surfaced in your eyes, but as you stand up, you feel the wind surround you once more.

You make sure to keep your voice low, there was no doubt Hijikata would laugh at you if he hears you, but you have to say it anyway. Because if this wind really was a spirit of one of the Shinsengumi, she owes it a lot for helping Hijikata move on, "...and that's why, I want to thank you. It's true, those days when we're all together will never come back, but I promise, I'll keep on looking after Hijikata-san on everyone's behalf; and we'll keep moving on…"

And then, you too, walk away back down the path. Because life moves on like a conveyor belt, and you'll only trip and fall if you stop before the end.

* * *

**Author's Ramblings:** Finally uploading this because I'm a lazy bum with a writer's block, so I'm procrastinating my fic for round 4 of battleships by going on FFN and doing things I haven't previously been bothered to do.

Anyway... Ahahahaha, I wrote this without finishing Hijikata's route in the main game, but yet the grave idea was from a snippet of the Hijikata route from Reimeiroku. So yeah, this is possibly AU, since Hijikata stayed with Chizuru forever after in that secluded area after the game, without ever visiting his grave or whatnot… (or so I've read, but like I said, I still have to actually_ start_ his route _) But it's mainly based in the anime, anyway, so screw the game :'D

More rambles: Also, yeah... is it weird that I actually ship KazaChizu more than HijikChizu? . But like, Kazama is so fuuuunnnyyy, and he's not a bad guy, just misunderstood :( But then my friend pointed out that kazama's kids would end up as cucumbers or something because Chizuru's as useless as vegetable, so whatever. But I haven't even started the Kazama route, so whatever XD

Even more rambles: Anyway, this is actually an unspoilered version since that friend I mentioned in the previous paragraph haven't actually finished Hakuouki, so various spoilers in the original version had to be edited out ('cuz she's the judge, so she _have_ to read it. But like... damn, I'm not going to spoil this amazing series for her! ;_; ) I might upload the original version once she actually finishes, but it may take a while.

Last paragraph of rambles: And yes. there's a gintama reference at the end :] Because Gintama is the reason I was introduced to Hakuouki in the first place, pluuus, I felt it really fit :D


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